High School Football: Wissahickon achieved the unexpected

COATESVILLE — The sting of Friday night’s 42-21 defeat may linger throughout the entire weekend for members of the Wissahickon High football team.

At some point, however, that feeling will be replaced by a more soothing acceptance that the Trojans might not have been feeling anything by the second week of the District One playoffs.

Friday night’s game at Coatesville in the District One Class AAAA quarterfinals was probably on as many levels improbable as the result was disappointing to the team.

Completing the regular season at 7-3, Wissahickon was among seven Class AAAA teams in the district with that identical record. Four got in, three were left out, and the Trojans were the fourth of the quartet which played on into the postseason.

Advertisement

They were just that close to having turned in the uniforms two weeks ago.

Wissahickon entered the playoffs as a prohibitive underdog, the second-place team from a smaller conference — a conference that had not won a Class AAAA postseason game in 11 years. The Trojans were going up against the top seed in District One, Downingtown East, an undefeated team which had won seven of its 10 regular-season games by two touchdowns or more. But at the end of the last weekend, there was Wissahickon, beginning prep work for a second-round opponent while Downingtown East was sporting a new number in the loss column.

No matter how sharp the sting from Friday night’s loss, the Trojans experienced it only by doing what no team in the program had done before — winning a district playoff game.

“I don’t think a lot of people thought we were even a playoff team this year, let alone able to win a game,” running back Dan Murphy said. “We made it in and upset Downingtown East. Overall, this was a real good year. We know that.”

Wissahickon’s season concluded Friday at 8-4, the team having gained some respect around the district not only for itself, but for the Suburban One American Conference, as well. It also provides future Trojan teams with some serious motivation.

“I think our players will walk away with a huge life lesson in overcoming adversity and making the most of your opportunities,” second-year head coach Jeff Cappa said. “The seniors will walk away knowing they took our program to the next step. Last year’s team got us a winning season. This year’s team got us into the playoffs and with a win.”

Wissahickon beat the Cougars a week ago by maximizing potential and capitalizing on opportunities. Friday night’s loss to the Red Raiders was the result of being unable to consistently do either of those, and the Trojans knew it as they exited the field after the game.

“We are disappointed because we couldn’t convert when we had our chances,” Murphy said. “We definitely had chances early in the game.”

“But, that’s the best team we’ve faced all year.”

Coatesville (10-2) was able to capitalize on Friday, and that is a big reason why the Raiders will be hosting Neshaminy next week in a district semifinal game.

Both teams came into the game on a roll. One found a way to maintain it better than the other one did.

“Going into these playoffs, I don’t feel like we went in playing like a 16 seed,” Cappa said. “We were hot, we were playing on fire. Then again, Coatesville was hot, they were not an eight or nine seed, either.”

“I don’t think it’s as much with how we came into the game. I think we just faced a team that played better than us and is a very good football team.”

There are only very good football teams left playing at this point in the season. However, that does not mean there are some very good teams that are no longer playing. Downingtown East and Ridley, the district’s top two seeds, were both undefeated during the regular season. Neither team is still playing.

Wissahickon is no longer playing, either. Few around the district probably had thought they would be playing by this point, let alone in the district quarterfinals.

However painful walking off the field Friday night must have been, that feeling will be replaced by the understanding that just having been on that field meant the Trojans achieved much more than had been expected.